Pushing your luck: on chance, serendipity, and athlete development

The notion that problems with prediction can be resolved with more, and better, data has a long history. In this paper, we examine the role of chance and randomness (i.e., events where there is a low probability of occurrence) in athlete development, focusing on the influence of 'luck' on this process. More specifically, we briefly summarize the way luck has been considered in previous research on human achievement and how different types of luck (i.e., luck related to elements of the task, the athlete development environment, and biological processes) can affect athlete development. In addition, the implications and challenges of embracing the influence of luck on models of athlete development are discussed. Acknowledging the role of luck may lead to developmental environments that are more equitable (e.g., by creating greater opportunities for more individuals to get lucky) and realistic (i.e., by acknowledging that predictions of sport- and athlete-related outcomes will never be perfect).